America's Test Kitchen Oatmeal Fudge Bars

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso or 2 teaspoons instant coffee
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large egg

Recipe

• 1 for the crust and topping: adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. line an 8 inch square baking pan with a foil sling and grease the foil.
• 2 whisk the oats, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
• 3 stir in the melted butter until combined.
• 4 reserve 3/4 cup of the oat mixture for the topping.
• 5 sprinkle the remaining oat mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer with the bottom of a measuring cup.
• 6 bake the crust until light golden brown, about 8 minutes.
• 7 let the crust cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
• 8 for the filling: whisk the flour, sugar, instant espresso, and salt together in a medium bowl.
• 9 melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a microwave, stirring often, 1 to 3 minutes.
• 10 transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl and let cool slightly.
• 11 whisk in the egg until combined.
• 12 stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated.
• 13 adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees.
• 14 spread the filling evenly over the cooled crust and smooth the top.
• 15 sprinkle with the reserved oat topping.
• 16 bake the bars until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached and the filling begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
• 17 let the bars cool completely in the pan, set on a wire rack, about 2 hours.
• 18 remove the bars from the pan using the foil, cut into squares, and serve.